


Reconciliations for the past

by faeriegalaxies



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Post-Canon, Angst, Canonical Character Death, Confrontations, Gen, Past Abuse, Post-War, Reconciliation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-18
Updated: 2020-11-18
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:40:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,289
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27102085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/faeriegalaxies/pseuds/faeriegalaxies
Summary: "He died as he lived: working always for the greater good." A mumbled scoff passed the man's lips as he raised the glass to them. The calming sound of waves filled the otherwise silent moment between the man and the grave."Was traumatizing countless children a part of the greater good?"
Comments: 3
Kudos: 2





	Reconciliations for the past

**Author's Note:**

> Arrival and confusion

Chapter I

The sounds of roving and huffs filled the silent evening. The dusk supplied a warm tone to the surroundings while a figure of a boat glided across the body of water. In the boat, there were three people, a woman, and two men. 

“We could still turn around Harry.” said the young woman gently. She readjusted the strap of her bag and her gloved hand moved to rub her left forearm. The man rowing the boat shook his head and let out another small huff.  
“It’s been a while since we’ve visited Dumbledore, hasn’t it ?” tried the woman again in an attempt to get the dark-haired wizard to talk. She received a small hum in return. She let out a sigh and turned her attention toward the man sitting with his arms crossed.  
“Ron, what do you think?”  
“I think it’s bloody freezing. The sun is setting and they are serving dinner in the Great Hall. Not to mention it’s close to winter and Harry isn’t using magic to get us there quicker.” Ron whined.  
Harry rolled his eyes.  
“I didn’t ask you to come with me,” he said matter-of-factly.  
Ron huffed and vigorously rubbed his hands together and tightened the scarf around his neck. 

Harry slowly started to turn them towards a small pier on the equally small island. When the boat arrived next to it, Harry pulled the oars inside and attached the boat to the pier with rope. He took off his shoes and socks and jumped off the boat into the shallow water. After reaching the shore, Harry started walking up the steep hill.  
The other two shared a look and Ron sighed.  
“Well Hermione, let’s get this over with.”  
“Be careful with getting out, the boat isn’t balanced with any charms.”  
Despite Hermione’s warning, Ron stood up and tried to step on the suspicious pile of wood pretending to be a pier. Hermione clutched the sides of the shaky boat.  
“Ron!”  
“What? I’m being careful.” Ron said and continued to lift his leg. The boat slid and buckled at the rope.  
“Ron Bilius Weasley! Stop this instant. You’re going to make the bloody boat turn upside and I’m not going to dry your wet clothes when you’re complaining about being cold.”

Harry heard his friends bickers from where he was on the hill and shook his head at their antics with a small grin. He arrived next to the beautifully marbled tomb and looked at it for a short while, gave a quick nod, and lowered his backpack from his shoulders. The protection charms gave the grave a grim glow when the smoky magic glided hauntingly across the surface. Harry sat down on a close-by rock facing the tomb and decided to catch a breath while waiting for his friends. 

“Oaring without using magic is surprisingly tiring,” he mused aloud while taking a sip from a water bottle “but it’s nice, I’ll admit. Not using magic. I don’t have to worry about much when I’m doing things the muggle way.” 

Harry gives a small hum as if answering a question from the tomb.

”I do miss Hogwarts, I do. I miss going to class without having to worry about the outside world.” He took another swift sip and focused on the scenery around the island. It was starting to get late and the warm light from the sun supplied a calming hue to the lake. The sounds of Ron and Hermione started to get closer when the two had finally managed to climb the hill.

“C-come on, ‘Mione. I’m going to catch the damn lurgy. You know your spells feel much better than mine. Just this once and I’ll even go to that muggle restaurant that you’ve been asking me to g-go with you.” Ron whined while his teeth silently clinked together. The right half of his body was dripping and his arms were tightly wrapped around him.  
“Quit your whining. You are capable of doing the spell yourself. Besides, I did warn you that this would happen, but you just had to hang from the pole the rope was attached to.” Hermione huffed while wearing clothes that practically radiated comforting warmth. 

Looking at Ron while he begrudgingly took out his wand and muttered the spell. A weak warmth appeared and vanished just as quickly. Ron gave an unsatisfied groan and waved his wand again. Hermione turned around and gave Harry a quick wink and covered her mouth with her hand, examining Ron from the side of her eyes.  
“Calibus aura,” she whispered into her glove.  
Ron gave a deep sight and shuddered at the sudden warmth. 

Harry smirked at the pair’s usual antics.

“Bloody hell. I must be becoming better at warmth spells. This nearly feels like your spell.” Ron sighed contently. Hermione nodded and gave his arm a congratulating pat.  
“I’m sure you are.” Sharing a look with Harry, she gave a swift grin and sat down next to him on the rock.  
“So, Harry Potter.”  
“Hermione Granger?”  
Hermione squinted her eyes and took a breath.  
“Would you like to inform the two of us why exactly we are here?”  
“Not really.”  
Hermione gave Harry a pointed look. The latter sighed and gave her a tight nod.

“ I’m here because I had something that I wanted to talk with Dumbledore.”

“You two are here because you jumped into the boat without saying a word. Well, Ron had some words as you know, but otherwise, your presence here was not planned.”

“Our presence, is because a certain wanker would not tell us what he was intending to do when he announced he was going to visit the grave of our previous Headmaster,” Ron remarked while rubbing his right arm “so now we are here utterly freezing and knackered.” he sat on a rock opposite to the other two.“Also, why didn’t you just talk to his portrait, instead of getting a freaking boat?” Ron muttered.

Hermione let out a deep breath and laid her hand on Harry’s.

“Harry...we are worried. You don’t have the best record of disappearing to do something safe honestly saying. We don’t want you to be alone and have something happen. You know there are still death eaters running free in the Forbidden forest. Blimey, even the protective charms on Dumbledore’s tomb were strengthened just in case. After the Elder wand was stolen by Voldemort you just can’t be too careful. Who knows if one of them is aware that you are the master of the wand? ” she rubbed Harry’s arm with her thumb. 

Not sure if to comfort Harry or herself.  
Harry glanced at Ron and Hermione and offered a nod.

“I understand, but I can promise you nothing is going to happen. I only need a moment alone with him...please? You can pay your respects, but I need to have some time alone.” he pleaded to the other two. “I’ll set up some protection charms if that will make you feel better. You can take the boat back and get some grub. I’ll summon the boat back and return shortly after.“ 

Hermione examined Harry’s face unsurely and gave Ron a concerned look.  
“Ron, what do you think?” she asked.  
Ron stopping his attempt to further warm his hands ran the other through his ginger hair. After a short contemplative pause, he gave a long sigh.  
“I’m not sure why you’re asking me ‘Mione, but we both know how he gets. I don’t fancy it either, but there’s no stopping him when he decides to go on one of his quests, or ya know?” he waved his hands vaguely toward Harry. “As I mentioned, I’m famished, and he is giving us an out.”

Hermione considered Ron’s words and gave a quiet scoff to herself. “Fine, but while we’re here I’m going to say a few words to the Headmaster. While I’m doing that, you,” she pointed at Harry, who straightened his back. ” Start on the spells. When you come back, you better explain properly why you came here. I’m exhausted and bothered by cryptic explanations. I don’t want to follow dodgy clues anymore Harry, I’m rather certain you understand that.” Taking a tight hold of her handbag she stood up and sauntered over to the tomb.

The young men watched after the woman and simultaneously stood up from their respective seats. Harry moved about ten meters toward the edge of the island. The sun, close to disappearing behind the mountains, allowed the lake its final rays. It looked so serene and one could forget a war that took place just beyond the lake’s shore. Harry gazed at the familiar view and took a slow breath and an even slower breath out. Ron approached from behind Harry.  
“Aren’t you supposed to start with the charms?”  
“Yeah, give me a second.” Harry took another breath and reached for his wand. Examining the magical object between his fingers. 

Pheonix feather and holly. 

“Does magic ever scare you?”  
The ginger looked at Harry’s hands and let out a sigh. He directed his eyes toward the lake, “Sometimes.” Ron admitted simply, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans.  
“Puking out slugs and indirectly obliviating a teacher due to a broken wand did make me not want to do that again. Not to mention the magical war that happened involved magic. After that, I can say that I’d rather that didn’t happen again.” Ron nodded toward his best friends gently shaking hands.  
“I take it that it scares you?” Ron asked cautiously.  
Harry closed his eyes and gave a tight nod. 

“It feels stupid and irrational. It isn’t even fear, because I know what that feels like. It’s more of a suspicion. Magic is something that made me feel safe, but sometimes holding my wand makes me feel like I’m falling off a broom… again. I have faced dangers since I was one, died, seen others killed, and never even once have I been scared of magic. When I asked Professor McGonagall about it, she said that it’s highly unlikely that it’s because of the elder wand. ” Harry confessed with his head bowed. He tightened the grip around his wand. 

Another long breath and he eventually raised his hands. The charms had an eerily familiar feeling when they surrounded the small island. The only identifiable sound was the gentle waves against the shore and murmured incantations that encapsulated the air around the two men. Harry raised his left palm and crossed his wand across his chest.  
“Salvio hexia”

Both of the wizards walked along the shore and Harry continued with the first enchantment around the whole islet. As Harry was starting on the second, Ron spoke again,  
“You know that Hermione sometimes has terrible nightmares, sometimes of me leaving and sometimes about you dying,”

Harry’s hand stopped midair.

“ and George can’t look into a mirror without breaking apart. My mom sometimes forgets for just a second that Fred is dead when she sees George. When she remembers she excuses herself and goes into the kitchen to make food while she cries.” Ron continued saying with a heavy tone.

Harry’s hand lowered shakily and he looked at Ron’s face. The air around them was heavy and a gentle chill blew past them when the last sunray faded behind the mountain line. Ron directed his eyes from the lake towards Harrys.

“The war influenced a lot of people and how they continue their lives is affected as well. Some react violently and some push it down till it stops hurting.” Ron turned his head toward Hermione who was standing by the tomb.  
” She is scared and worried. We spent the last year on the run with vague directions and spent our days fearing for everyone we love. She lost her parents by not losing them. She has scars on her wrist as a sign of being tortured and almost being killed for who her parents are. Although she says that they don’t bother her I catch her massaging her forearm when she’s nervous.”

Harry turned to also look at Hermione who was absentmindedly petting her arm. She said something to the unmoving grave and looked at the boys. She adjusted her Hermione made her way over to them.

“How many did you get done?” she asked Harry patiently.

“One. Salvio hexia and I was starting on the Intruder charm.” Harry replied sheepishly. Hermione let out a sigh and took out her wand.  
“Well let’s get them done. I’m not going anywhere before at least three layers are done.”

The two went around the islet and did their respective charms while Ron talked about the possible foods waiting for them and made jokes that got a few stray chuckles from the brunette woman. The air was starting to get colder as time passed and after the protections were cast and jokes told, Harry walked his friends to the boat. Hermione checked that Harry had warm enough clothes and Ron gave Harry a pointed nod and a quick hug. Harry’s clothes being deemed satisfactory by Hermione followed her resolutely hugging him close. Such a long goodbye may seem strange, but to the three it was a guarantee of safety. 

After the two got into the boat without accidents, Hermione tapped the side of the boat and the pair drifted off leaving Harry on the shore. Harry gave one last view and headed back toward the tomb. 

Whilst there he sat back down on the rock facing the grave. He looked at it intensely and then his face turned into a look of perplexion. He ran his fingers through his hair and gave a hollow laugh.

“What am I supposed to do now?”

**Author's Note:**

> Bickering...writing...yes? Emotions...writing...yEs??
> 
> So I did a thing and split it into chapters because AO3 keeps blackmailing and threatening me.
> 
> Chapter two is arriving soon...  
> *says every writer ever*
> 
> Thank you for reading.


End file.
